Men jailed after robbing teenager in Lincoln's Bailgate

Two men who robbed a 15-year-old boy of his bag containing clothes and chocolate bars in Lincoln's Bailgate have each been jailed for nine months.

James Merrills, 27, and Ewan Deans, 23, admitted making threats to the teenager as he walked through Lincoln's historic centre with his bike and a 21-year-old friend, Thomas Ayres.

The two men looked in the boy's bag which he was carrying on his handlebars after one of them warned him: "If you don't let me have a look I am going to hit you," Lincoln Crown Court heard.

In his statement the boy later told police he "felt a bit scared" and did not want a fight, the court was told.

Mr Ayres said he also felt "annoyed" and heard one of the robbers remark: "If they want the property back they will have to fight for it."

Merrills, also known as James Mettam, and Deans, were stopped by police as they walked away from the scene down Steep Hill.

Andrew Scott, prosecuting, said Deans appeared drunk and told an officer: "I only took it because they took it from my mate." Merrills was also drinking from a beer can.

During interview Deans said they only approached the teenager because they wrongly believed the bag had been taken from a friend. Merrills denied taking part in the robbery, but was later identified by one of the victims.

The court heard Deans had a string of convictions for anti-social offences including breaching a football banning order but had stayed out of trouble for the last 16 months.

"That is something of an achievement given his offending when younger," Mr Huston told the court.

"This tearaway teenager has at last grown up. He has settled down in to a long-term relationship and employment."

Michael Cranmer-Brown, mitigating for Merrills, said he was in regular employment as a car valeter.

Merrills, of Archer Street, Lincoln, and Deans, of St Rumbold Street, Lincoln, both admitted the robbery which occured on April 28 last year.

Passing sentence Recorder Adrienne Lucking told them she could not avoid giving a prison sentence.

Recorder Lucking said: "That fact is, this was two older men taking a bullying attitude to two younger men at night and in the street."